So here we are, gathered for the final episode of "Top Chef Just Desserts." Only without Orlando.

Orlando Santos, the Crucian entry, was eliminated one step before the finale. So the final episode seems kind of blah. He was far and away the strongest personality of the show. It won't be the same without him.

As it happens, I actually spoke to him Saturday morning. He is coming home in December to be the featured chef in a pair of fundraisers for CHANT, Crucian Heritage and Nature Tourism and was available for a phone interview. Interesting guy.

Anyway, ready for the last episode. Ho hum.

10 a.m.

The Final Challenge – Dun dun dun du-u-u-u-u-un.

Sorry, that was supposed to sound like a musical sting.

Speaking of stings, when I was talking to Orlando Saturday he mentioned that he got started cooking by his aunt and uncles, especially uncle Matthew who cooked cakes for events all over the island. As a boy Orlando helped him with the baking, and it led him to his career. He owns his own dessert company in Pittsburgh, his home away from the islands, and is also a top chef at the city's exclusive Duquense Club. He was prparing to offer a holiday workshop for kids. Only a week from Halloween, he was going to have them make Haunted Gingerbread Houses.

Listening to Sally, Matt and Chris talking about how much they miss their families and how winning would change their lives. Well, yeah winning $100,000 would change most people's lives. Interesting, Sally is the only one of the three who doesn't have a spouse and kids waiting for them. "I've got my career."

OK, now it makes sense, they have to make a dessert for the "special person in their life. And the special guests are apparently three of the greatest desert chefs in the world – and they'll be assisting the contestants. And judging at the end. The chefs are giving them suggestions, then they're helping out, and they're washing dishes! Three of the greatest chefs in the world, and they're doing dishes, and laughing about it!

And of course, they all have cute little French accents.

So they have to make a centerpiece and a plated dessert.

One other thing – at the very beginning of the season they made it clear that Chris was the favorite. If he actually wins, I'll be terribly disappointed.

They're all talking about pushing themselves, going above and beyond. I wonder what Orlando would have done.

 10:16

Orlando is back!

Well, really, all the eliminated chefs from the beginning of the season are back – including Orlando. And each of the finalists gets two of them to assist.Sally snags Orlando. Good move. She was talking about how her centerpieces are not her strong suit – she's kind of short. And that's what Orlando does better than anybody.

So hooray! Orlando is back! We'd almost decided to change channels for a while, it's tough watching without our favorite chef. Now he's back, so we're digging in. Go Sally!

He's not happy, of course, he'd rather be competing for the prize, and thinks he's as good as any of them. But as he said, he's a professional and he has to man up and admit he blew his chance.

Meanwhile, Sally has made some kind of major mistake and is feeling the pressure. "Use your rage," daughter Kate yells to her from the TV. Sally feels bad that she's just turning the centerpiece over to Orlando, but she's gotta do what she's gotta do. She's got Orlando, she's got to use him.

Holy smokes – we just got our first glimpse of the showpiece and wow! Amazing! Sally looked at it, smiled and said, "I did good work!"

It's all over. Everything's set up. Here come the judges.

 10:26

They've got this huge panel of judges.  Each chef made the centerpiece, a bon bon, a bread and something called an entremet – which I guess is sort of a layer cake only instead of cake it's mostly mousse and ganache.

Tori points out that ganache is a great gaword.

It's funny watching the judges pick up the bread and sniff it, then sniff it, then practically shove it up their noses to sniff once more before they eat it. Kate says, "Maybe that's another form of eating we're not familiar with."

Oh oh. Chris's showpiece is starting to fall apart. Sally got some raised eyebrows when she admitted Orlando built her masterpiece, but at least it stayed togehter.

Wonder if that's going to hand it to Matthew – Chris's is falling apart, Sally didn't make hers.

Now there's the plated dessert, and Sally is having a real problem. Her balls are falling apart - which are words you never want to hear. She should have glazed them. Presentation is getting slammed, but everyone says there's so much sweetness in the balls they can't believe where it came from. Kate is mortified we are discussing balls in this way. She is shrieking.

Ooops. Now it's Matt's mistake. His plated dessert was inspired by his wife's love of chocolate chip cookies – but there's no choclate chip cookies anywhere. And the judges love Chris's bon bon. Bon bon sounds great, especially when said in a French accent.

"Bon bon." Oui.

It's like any reality show – Idol or Runway or Survivor. You get to the finale and there are no bad competitors. Someone is going to win, but the two "losers" are just as good. It could be anyone.

 10:43

I'm told by my wife I should mention that Gail's dress is cute, Gail is adorable. I'll be completely honest – I have no idea who Gail is other than being the host of this, I've never heard of her. But she's adorable and so is her dress. My wife also watches Project Runway. Enough said.

Matt did a spun sugar centerpiece. One of the judges said, "Your showpiece looked like a love letter to your wife." Which is how Matt meant it.

Sally has to answer to Judge Johnny about Orlando doing almost all of her centerpiece. She's unapologetic. It was her idea he executed, she said. Her unglazed balls disappointed the judges but I think we've run that into the ground.

Centerpieces – Chris' disappointed. Sally's showpiece "was the best" Gail said, but Johnny can't get past the fact that Orlando made it. The guest judge is defending her – why fault her for giving her someone who's good at that, then faulting her for using him. So as far as we're concerned, Orlando is the winner.

Finally someone said "scrumptious" on the show! They like all of their work, but it's obvious Chris is getting the check.

Chris is going to win. They're not going to deny him for a bon bon faling off the centerpiece.  It's really between Sally and Chris, but it's going to be Chris.

Anyway, they've made their decision. The contestants are being called back into the judging room.

10:56

And the winner is Chris. More to come

 11:00

Well, good for Chris, He's not a jerk, anyway. But it all feels a little pre-ordained, a little, "Well of course." Kind of a letdown. If we couldn't have our candidate, it would have been nice for it to be a surprise. 

I've enjoyed the experience, and enjoyed the show. I can't wait to meet Orlando in December. But I'll tell you the truth – I don't now if I'll ever watch a reality cooking show again. Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed it. But I think you watch a cooking show for one of two reasons – to learn techniques, or to eat the food. You can't eat the food on TV, and I can't even learn to pronounce half of what they do.

Anyway, Tori and I are looking forward to meeting Orlando Dec. 9 at the "Crucian Fusion" event. I'd love to go to the Dec. 5 private dinner, but lacking the $4,000 it would take to get in with Tori, Kate and Max, I think we'll have to pass. Besides, Dec. 5 is a school night. Max has a curfew!

It was fun to share the experience. As a teacher, Tori feels like Orlando has become one of her kids. And we all enjoyed watching. Thanks Orlando!